Improvement in folding chairs



E. TUCKER. Folding-Chair.

No. 205,016. Patented June 18,1878.

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EPHRAIM TUCKER, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD W. VAILL, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOLDING CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,016, dated June 18, 1878 application filed 7 March 15, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EPHRAIM TUCKER, of Worcester, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Folding Chairs, of which the following is a specification:

Chairs have been made with the front legs extended up and pivoted to the back frame, and the back frame extending below the seat and resting upon the back legs, which back legs extend forward and form a seat-frame that is united by a link with the cross-rail of the front legs, as may be seen in the rockingchair of E. C. Holton, patented July 18, 1876, No. 179,920.

My invention is an improvement upon theaforesaid chair; and consists in the combination, with the chair-frame made somewhat similar to that before mentioned, of links pivoted at their lower ends to the seat-frame and extending up and pivoted at their upper ends to the front legs, and provided with lips that form stops to prevent the front legs swinging forward, thereby rendering the chair very firm when in use, but allowing the front legs to fold toward the back legs as the seat-frame is folded upwardly and against the back frame.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a section of the chair as spread for use. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same as folded; and Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

The back frame is made of the side pieces a a and cross-pieces b, and to this frame the front legs 0 are pivoted at d. The back legs 6 are joined to the lower ends of the back a by the pivot-plates c and pivots 2, so that the back a is above the legs 6, which legs c pass forward diagonally between the front legs 0, and, with the cross-rail 1, form the seat-frame. The flexible seat m is between this rail land the rail a-that is, between the side pieces a a of the back frame.

The seat may be made of a rigid frame or the forward movement of the front legs and prevent them spreading from the back legs.

The chair will fold into a small compass, the front legs swinging toward the back legs and the links 0, describing nearly a half-circle on the pivots 3 as the back legs fold up against the front of the back frame.

In this construction the back legs and side pieces of the back frame being in the same plane allow the front legs to be contiguous at their sides, the metal links 0 only intervening; hence the parts are very compact, and when unfolded the positions of the centers of motion are such that the flexible seat is strained, and serves to hold the parts of the chair from folding accidentally.

I claim as my invention The combination, with the back frame a b, front legs 0, pivoted at d to the back frame, and the back legs 0, pivoted to the lower ends of the back frame a, the links 0, pivoted at their-lower ends to the forward portions of the back legs and extending upwardly and pivoted to the inner faces of the front legs, and provided with stops 8 to arrest the move ment of the front legs, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 9th day of March, 1878.

EPHRAIM TUCKER.

Witnesses S. B. I. GODDARD, GEO. E. SMITH. 

